Letang Is The Truth wrote:maybe its in another thread but im surprised that yinzers arent more upset about the missed calls on the FG and fake punt

I was listening to talk radio today, those yinzers who believed the refs and Succop are the reason were not in the postseason were out in full force today (even a few yinzers called in saying this was a conspiracy by the NFL and KC to keep the Steelers out of the playoffs because they hate the Steelers). Although to be fair, there were fans calling in that did believe the Steelers starting 0-4 and losing to a slew of bad teams is the reason there not in the postseason. (which is what you should think).

Rocco wrote:Why can't both be true, meaning the Steelers missed the playoffs because they started the year 0-4 and because the refs suck at their jobs?

Because the Steelers have to take care of their own business first and foremost becaause you can control that, but you can't control what other teams and refs in other games do. If the Steelers don't lose to teams that should have no business losing to like Oakland for instance or if Brown just stays inbounds at the end of the Miami game, there in the playoffs. That didn't happen though and the Steelers have nobody to thank for this but themselves.

If you want to criticize the refs for not properly doing their jobs go ahead because they deserve the criticism, but don't blame them or Succop for the loss because it's not Ryan Succop's job to kick a field goal so the Steelers can get into the postseason.

Rocco wrote:Why can't both be true, meaning the Steelers missed the playoffs because they started the year 0-4 and because the refs suck at their jobs?

Because the Steelers have to take care of their own business first and foremost becaause you can control that, but you can't control what other teams and refs in other games do. If the Steelers don't lose to teams that should have no business losing to like Oakland for instance or if Brown just stays inbounds at the end of the Miami game, there in the playoffs. That didn't happen though and the Steelers have nobody to thank for this but themselves.

If you want to criticize the refs for not properly doing their jobs go ahead because they deserve the criticism, but don't blame them or Succop for the loss because it's not Ryan Succop's job to kick a field goal so the Steelers can get into the postseason.

I see what you're saying, but I think you're wrong.

The reality is, if the refs make the objective call and Succop makes the kick (I know maybe he'd miss), than the Steelers are in the playoffs. Even though the Steelers could have been better during the year, they probably should be going to the playoffs this year, and it's because the refs missed a call which should be an automatic one.

Rocco wrote:Why can't both be true, meaning the Steelers missed the playoffs because they started the year 0-4 and because the refs suck at their jobs?

Because the Steelers have to take care of their own business first and foremost becaause you can control that, but you can't control what other teams and refs in other games do. If the Steelers don't lose to teams that should have no business losing to like Oakland for instance or if Brown just stays inbounds at the end of the Miami game, there in the playoffs. That didn't happen though and the Steelers have nobody to thank for this but themselves.

If you want to criticize the refs for not properly doing their jobs go ahead because they deserve the criticism, but don't blame them or Succop for the loss because it's not Ryan Succop's job to kick a field goal so the Steelers can get into the postseason.

It's Ryan Succop's job to make field goals. It's the job of the officials to get calls right. The failings of the Steelers and the failings of other teams are not mutually exclusive.

Rocco wrote:Why can't both be true, meaning the Steelers missed the playoffs because they started the year 0-4 and because the refs suck at their jobs?

Because the Steelers have to take care of their own business first and foremost becaause you can control that, but you can't control what other teams and refs in other games do. If the Steelers don't lose to teams that should have no business losing to like Oakland for instance or if Brown just stays inbounds at the end of the Miami game, there in the playoffs. That didn't happen though and the Steelers have nobody to thank for this but themselves.

If you want to criticize the refs for not properly doing their jobs go ahead because they deserve the criticism, but don't blame them or Succop for the loss because it's not Ryan Succop's job to kick a field goal so the Steelers can get into the postseason.

I see what you're saying, but I think you're wrong.

The reality is, if the refs make the objective call and Succop makes the kick (I know maybe he'd miss), than the Steelers are in the playoffs. Even though the Steelers could have been better during the year, they probably should be going to the playoffs this year, and it's because the refs missed a call which should be an automatic one.

No i'm not wrong and the reality is if the Steelers didn't start the season 0-4 and played constantly throughout the season they would be in the playoffs. The blame should lie with the Steelers and no one else for a 2nd straight year they missed for their poor preformance in the beginning of the year because you have control over that. When your relying on multiple teams to get you into the postseason and even the refs as well you don't have no control over that and as a result you can't fault them if the results don't go in your favor because it's not the Chiefs job to win so the Steelers can't slide into the playoffs. They can only worry about themselves and that's how it should be. I'm sorry i'm not going to blame the Chiefs and the refs for us not being in the playoffs when in reality it's the Steelers fault and no one else

Instead of making excuses for why the Steelers didn't make the playoffs (i.e blaming the kicker and refs), accept that the Steelers didn't make the playoffs because they just weren't good enough and made too many mistakes in the start. If they were consistent enough they would be in the postseason and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Troy Loney wrote:Is Todd Haley still viewed as the problem? Once they finally solidified a starting group for the offensive line and Bell came back from injury to take over the RB job (from the worst RB tandem in recent memory) the offense was very competent.

Except when they got to beat up on the Browns, the defense was atrocious. Due to either salary or age (or both), they'd be better off moving on from Polamalu, Taylor, Woodley, Keisel & Clark. I don't know if Taylor or Polamalu are the type of players that could come back and help in reduced roles, so I say just go younger on D.

They said during the last Cincy game that the Steelers gave up something like 11 plays of over 50 yards this year. Take those 11 plays out, and they were a top 5 defense in every measure, even including the debacle that was the Pats game. Of course, that's a hypothetical..... those plays did actually happen. But I don't think the defense was as bad as it seemed at times.

And as regards the offense, the team really started to come to life when they began running more of the no-huddle.... meaning Haley was effectively not part of the game. He's still a problem, because he can't game plan or play call. But his offensive scheme is fairly sound. Just leave it to BRoeth to sort it out on the field.

Rocco wrote:Why can't both be true, meaning the Steelers missed the playoffs because they started the year 0-4 and because the refs suck at their jobs?

Because the Steelers have to take care of their own business first and foremost becaause you can control that, but you can't control what other teams and refs in other games do. If the Steelers don't lose to teams that should have no business losing to like Oakland for instance or if Brown just stays inbounds at the end of the Miami game, there in the playoffs. That didn't happen though and the Steelers have nobody to thank for this but themselves.

If you want to criticize the refs for not properly doing their jobs go ahead because they deserve the criticism, but don't blame them or Succop for the loss because it's not Ryan Succop's job to kick a field goal so the Steelers can get into the postseason.

It's Ryan Succop's job to make field goals. It's the job of the officials to get calls right. The failings of the Steelers and the failings of other teams are not mutually exclusive.

Your right about that, but it's also the job of the Steelers to not start 0-4 and lose to a slew of bad teams (including a Raider team that only won four games this season). If they took care of business in their own end there in the playoffs and I don't know how you can argue with that. I'm sorry but I will not make excuses for this team. There not in the postseason because of themselves and themselves only for their inconsistent play, not because of a team and refs in another game not having to do with the Steelers didn't do their jobs right.

Except that in reality that is patently untrue, as Rocco described. Yes, the Steelers should bear the vast majority of the responsibility and shouldn't have been in this position to begin with, but at the same time this particular blown call had a clear and direct impact on their playoff chances.

Rocco wrote:Why can't both be true, meaning the Steelers missed the playoffs because they started the year 0-4 and because the refs suck at their jobs?

Because the Steelers have to take care of their own business first and foremost becaause you can control that, but you can't control what other teams and refs in other games do. If the Steelers don't lose to teams that should have no business losing to like Oakland for instance or if Brown just stays inbounds at the end of the Miami game, there in the playoffs. That didn't happen though and the Steelers have nobody to thank for this but themselves.

If you want to criticize the refs for not properly doing their jobs go ahead because they deserve the criticism, but don't blame them or Succop for the loss because it's not Ryan Succop's job to kick a field goal so the Steelers can get into the postseason.

It's Ryan Succop's job to make field goals. It's the job of the officials to get calls right. The failings of the Steelers and the failings of other teams are not mutually exclusive.

Your right about that, but it's also the job of the Steelers to not start 0-4 and lose to a slew of bad teams (including a Raider team that only won four games this season). If they took care of business in their own end there in the playoffs and I don't know how you can argue with that. I'm sorry but I will not make excuses for this team. There not in the postseason because of themselves and themselves only for their inconsistent play, not because of a team and refs in another game not having to do with the Steelers didn't do their jobs right.

If the refs do their jobs right, the Steelers are in the playoffs. Again, both statements are true and accurate. Not everything is a zero-sum game.

They're both but-for causes. I don't understand this "take care of business" crap. The Chargers almost lost to the second stringers of a team playing for nothing in a win- or go-home game. They, too, started 0-4. Unless you think the alternative is to give Cinci a bye, I can't see how the refs didn't cause the Steelers to miss the playoffs.

Rocco wrote:It's Ryan Succop's job to make field goals. It's the job of the officials to get calls right. The failings of the Steelers and the failings of other teams are not mutually exclusive.

And it's the Steelers' job to win games against Tennessee, Minnesota and Oakland.

The refs in the SD/KC game blew the call and the KC missed a fairly easy kick. That's not why the Steelers aren't in the Show. Mathematically, sure, that sealed their doom. But it's folly to put any measure of blame on this at the feet of officials and players in a Week 17 game on the other side of the country. (Well, for you. For me, it's just down the coast a bit.)

TheHammer24 wrote:They're both but-for causes. I don't understand this "take care of business" crap. The Chargers almost lost to the second stringers of a team playing for nothing in a win- or go-home game. They, too, started 0-4. Unless you think the alternative is to give Cinci a bye, I can't see how the refs didn't cause the Steelers to miss the playoffs.

You can't rely on other teams to do the work for you, or you leave yourself open to weird crap happening like yesterday. Yes the refs goofed. No one is denying that. That being said if the Steelers beat one of Minneosta, Oakland or Tennesee they control their own destiny and the bad call doesn't even have a chance to hurt them.

Except that in reality that is patently untrue, as Rocco described. Yes, the Steelers should bear the vast majority of the responsibility and shouldn't have been in this position to begin with, but at the same time this particular blown call had a clear and direct impact on their playoff chances.

No, a real poor start damaged their chances of making the playoffs. Losing to Oakland, Tennessee, Minnesota and Miami damaged their chances of making the playoffs. There's a reason why only one team has started the season 0-4 and made the playoffs (1992 SD Chargers) because in a 16 game season there's very little room for error because the season is small game wise.

If the team played consistently throughout the season they would be in the playoffs, if the defense could make plays and knock off all those long plays the opposition created (Terrelle Pryor going 94 yards for a TD for example) and stop the run for a change they would be in the playoffs, if the offensive line would of played the way they did in the end of the season throughout the year they would be in the playoffs.

That's why there not in the playoffs, because they just didn't play well enough to win, not because another team in another game and a ref in another game not associated with the Steelers didn't do their jobs correctly because it's not KC job to win a game so the Steelers could make the postseason. The Steelers made their bed when they went to 0-4 and not they must lie in it.

Now that's not saying the refs shouldn't be criticized for not doing their jobs because they should, but if the Steelers just took care of business in their own end and not having to rely on the results of other games we wouldn't be talking about any of this. I'm sorry I won't make excuses for why this team didn't make the postseason. There out because they just weren't good enough and all of you should just accept that instead of blaming the refs and a team in another game.

That's nice they finished the season 6-2 but by the time they were 0-4 it was too late. Hopefully they can build off this finish because I agree with Rocco when he says there not far off from being competitive again. I like their offense and if they can find a way to fix the defense they'll be back.

Except that in reality that is patently untrue, as Rocco described. Yes, the Steelers should bear the vast majority of the responsibility and shouldn't have been in this position to begin with, but at the same time this particular blown call had a clear and direct impact on their playoff chances.

No, a real poor start damaged their chances of making the playoffs. Losing to Oakland, Tennessee, Minnesota and Miami damaged their chances of making the playoffs. There's a reason why only one team has started the season 0-4 and made the playoffs (1992 SD Chargers) because in a 16 game season there's very little room for error because the season is small game wise.

If the team played consistently throughout the season they would be in the playoffs, if the defense could make plays and knock off all those long plays the opposition created (Terrelle Pryor going 94 yards for a TD for example) and stop the run for a change they would be in the playoffs, if the offensive line would of played the way they did in the end of the season throughout the year they would be in the playoffs.

That's why there not in the playoffs, because they just didn't play well enough to win, because they went 8-8, because they lost to too many terrible teams, because they only went 2-3 againist teams with a above .500 record (and one of those games was a Packer team that was without Aaron Rodgers )not because another team in another game and a ref in another game not associated with the Steelers didn't do their jobs correctly because it's not KC job to win a game so the Steelers could make the postseason. The Steelers made their bed when they went to 0-4 and not they must lie in it.

Now that's not saying the refs shouldn't be criticized for not doing their jobs because they should, but if the Steelers just took care of business in their own end and not having to rely on the results of other games we wouldn't be talking about any of this. I'm sorry I won't make excuses for why this team didn't make the postseason. There out because they just weren't good enough and all of you should just accept that instead of blaming the refs and a team in another game.

That's nice they finished the season 6-2 but by the time they were 0-4 it was too late. Hopefully they can build off this finish because I agree with Rocco when he says there not far off from being competitive again. I like their offense and if they can find a way to fix the defense they'll be back.